Overview:
- Michigan is the only state without a septic code, leaving aging systems to contaminate waterways.
- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for seven Michigan counties Tuesday following a historic blizzard.
- Nearly 90% of nurses at nine Corewell Health East hospitals in Southeast Michigan voted to authorize a strike, the Teamsters announced Tuesday.
🪠 Aging septic systems are fouling Michigan waterways, and lawmakers may finally act Michigan is the only state without a statewide septic code, and a new bill aims to change that. Senate Bill 771, sponsored by Sen. Sam Singh, would create a statewide septic system database, require periodic inspections and direct state regulators to develop uniform standards within three years. Supporters say aging, failing systems are contaminating waterways, while opponents worry about costs to low-income homeowners and overburdened local health departments. 📍 Source: Michigan Public
Whitmer declares emergency for 7 counties after historic blizzard buries Northern Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for seven Michigan counties Tuesday following a historic blizzard that dumped 2 to 4 feet of snow across Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula on March 15-16, leaving over 100,000 homes and businesses without power. The affected counties include Alcona, Alpena, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Roscommon, Wexford, and Delta. Whitmer also declared a statewide energy emergency to speed heating fuel delivery to residents. 📍 Source: MLive
🌃 Northern Lights to sweep all of Michigan Thursday, Friday — but clouds may steal the show Michigan could get two chances to see the northern lights this week — Thursday and Friday nights, March 19-20 — with the colorful display expected over the entire state. The catch? Cloudy skies, rain, snow and freezing rain are forecast to block the view across much of Michigan both nights. If the clouds do part, find a dark, open area away from city lights for the best chance of spotting the aurora borealis dancing overhead. 📍 Source: Detroit Free Press
🦠 Trust in federal vaccine guidance drops sharply as Trump administration reshapes health policy American trust in federal childhood vaccine recommendations has dropped sharply, with just 6 in 10 people now backing government guidance, down from 71% in June 2025. One in three Americans now trust the American Academy of Pediatrics over the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The decline follows sweeping Trump administration rollbacks of multiple vaccine recommendations and an overhaul of a key advisory panel, changes that public health experts warn are fueling confusion and eroding confidence during active disease outbreaks. 📍 Source: Scientific American
🏥 10,000 Southeast Michigan nurses could walk out as Corewell contract talks stall Nearly 90% of nurses at nine Corewell Health East hospitals in Southeast Michigan voted to authorize a strike, the Teamsters announced Tuesday. The hospital system was formerly known as Beaumont Health. The roughly 10,000 nurses, represented by Teamsters Local 2024, are demanding safer staffing ratios, fair wages, affordable insurance, and better workplace safety. The union says negotiations have stalled since June 2025. Corewell Health says it remains committed to bargaining in good faith and called talk of a strike premature. 📍 Source: The Detroit News
🌸 Near-60 degree weekend ahead as astronomical spring arrives Friday Spring arrives in more ways than one for Southeast Michigan. The spring equinox hits Friday at 10:46 a.m., and temperatures are rising to match, climbing into the 50s to near 60 degrees by the weekend — some 10 to 15 degrees above normal. Rain chances Friday and again Sunday could interrupt outdoor plans, and a cold front late Sunday will push temperatures back to the 40s by early next week. 📍 Source: WDIV-TV